So I tried the run, but I clearly hadn't drank enough water and my calves were unbelievably painful so I had to stop. I felt awful that I paused because everyone says that it's their favourite run of the programme, meanwhile there I was, 7 minutes in with a paused session, trying to stretch out my calves before going again. So I press play and I go again, positive that surely I can make the next 13 minutes. But once again, after another 5 minutes my calves were burning and I couldn't take another step of even walking, so I stretch out again, it's agonising but I have another 8 minutes to go. I tell myself again that I can make it if I go slow. Alas, another 4 minutes and I'm struggling too much to push it for the last 4. I pause, stretch out, and finish those last 4 minutes.
So I ran for 20 minutes but it wasn't constant and I felt terrible. I'm so disappointed, it's mind over matter but my mind wasn't strong enough. Now the fear of the run was building, I didn't want to have to go through that again and give up because of one bad run. So I decided not to repeat it. That decision hurt, I know I should repeat it until I can manage but my subconscious had been continuously building it up for too long for me to try again.
I try week 6 run 1 and I manage. I feel great for progressing to the next week but awful that I skipped a run. Should I go back and complete it or keep going with week 6? I'm at a bit of a loss so I could really do with some advice here. I have a 10k coming up in 5 months time so I know I cant truly give up but I'm feeling a bit flat to say the least.
On a somewhat separate note, my running partner is far more capable of running that I; she seems to have a natural affinity for it while I am better at cycling. So when I run with her I find myself running at her pace and feeling exhausted, even if it is an earlier run that I have already completed by myself (we don't always run together and we don't stick perfectly to the every other day timing). I don't want to stop running with her but I need to go at my own pace without slowing her down and halting her progress.
Any tips?